(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to electrical connectors and is directed more particularly to, in combination, a submarine periscope eye box connector, a mast connector, and a connector guide for facilitating blind interconnections thereof.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Herein a vocabulary convention will be employed which applies the term "male connector" to a first type of mating, multiple connection, electrical connector (e.g., connectors 22, FIG. 1) whose wall 34 (best shown in FIG. 4) is inserted in a second-type of connector (e.g., connectors 26, FIG. 2) whose wall 40 (best shown in FIG. 4) receives the wall of the first-type connector. The term "female connector" is applied to this second-type connector. Note that this runs contrary to the extant situation at the level of the individual connector elements, where the individual connector elements of the first-type connector are pin receptors 36 (shown in FIG. 1) which suggest a female-type structure, and where the individual connector elements of the second-type connector are pins 42 (shown in FIG.2).
In the assembly of submarine periscopes, the eye box is connected to the periscope mast such that electrical connectors are joined inside a barrel, out of view of assembly personnel. In FIG. 1, there is shown an eye box mating end 20 having male electrical connectors 22 mounted thereon. In FIG. 2, there is shown a periscope mast mating end 24 having female electrical connectors 26 thereon. In assembly of a periscope, it is necessary that the connectors 22, 26 be brought into proper interengagement with each other. Given that perfect alignment is seldom realized, the male connectors 22 are mounted in a manner permitting some movement of the connectors 22 widthwise so as to accommodate to slight misalignments.
As is shown in FIG. 3, each of the male electrical connectors 22 comprises a plate 28 mounted on the mating end 20 of the eye box. The plate 28 is provided with slightly oversized holes 30 through which extend headed fasteners 32. A wall 34 upstands from the plate 28 and surrounds eye box, pin receptor-type, connector elements 36 (FIG. 1). Similarly, each of the female electrical connectors 26 comprises a plate 38 (FIG. 3) mounted on the mating end 24 of the mast. The plate 38 is immovably affixed to the mast mating end 24. A wall 40 depends from the plate 38 and surrounds mast, pin-type, connector elements 42 (FIG. 2). The mast connector wall 40 is configured to slidingly receive the eye box connector wall 34 therein. In the event of a slight misalignment, the male connector 22 can move laterally into alignment with the female connector 26.
At times, the connectors 22 and 26 are not in proper alignment and male connector 22 fails to move into alignment with female connector 26, resulting in a misconnection or no connection. When this occurs, the remedy is not simply moving the eye box and mast apart and starting again. Because other connections, not pertinent here, have been made, disassembly of the joined eye box and mast is a laborious and time-consuming procedure, in practice calling for shipment of the periscope to a particular facility for disassembly. At times the mis-match of connectors goes unnoticed until a test reveals a problem.
Accordingly, there is a need for a connector guide which will serve to insure alignment of the connectors and, thereby, proper interengagements of the connectors.